KP announces fuel subsidy for 1.6 million registered motorcyclists after price hike

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a targeted fuel subsidy for registered motorcycle riders following the recent increase in petroleum prices by the federal government.

Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi said the subsidy aims to reduce the financial burden on low- and middle-income households affected by the fuel price increase.

Between 1.4 million and 1.6 million motorcycles are currently registered in the province and could benefit from the subsidy, according to provincial officials.

The announcement was made during a press conference at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar on Sunday.

The chief minister rejected the recent increase in petroleum prices, stating that the provincial government does not support policies that increase costs for citizens.

The federal government raised petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per litre earlier this month following an increase in international oil prices.

Afridi said the provincial government would also maintain current fares for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system despite rising operating costs.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, he announced the introduction of pink buses within the BRT system to provide transport facilities for women.

The chief minister also said the government plans to procure 140 additional buses for the BRT fleet, adding that 52 of them have already been manufactured.

He said the provincial government is also preparing a relief package for farmers ahead of the upcoming wheat harvesting season.

Commenting on fuel pricing, Afridi said the Rs55 per litre increase places additional pressure on the public.

He also criticised the increase in the petroleum levy, saying it had risen from Rs85 to Rs105 per litre.

According to him, the federal government collected Rs822 billion in petroleum levies during the first seven months of the current fiscal year, and the amount could reach around Rs1.7 trillion by the end of the fiscal year.

Afridi said reducing the levy could have provided relief to consumers.

He noted that the federal government had recently initiated consultations with provinces through the finance and petroleum ministries regarding the fuel pricing situation.

However, he said worsening global conditions could create risks of petrol and diesel shortages and that the provincial government would submit proposals to the federal government to address possible supply disruptions.

The chief minister also outlined several cost-containment measures adopted by the provincial government, including a ban on foreign official visits and the purchase of new official vehicles.

He said a monitoring dashboard has also been introduced to track fuel availability at petrol pumps across the province and detect hoarding or supply disruptions.

According to Afridi, the system allows authorities to monitor fuel stocks and supply conditions in real time.